Spotlight



July 28, 1925.

' 1,547,977 H. E. VANDERVEER SPOTLIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1921 ammo/M00 July 28, 1925. 1,547,977 H. E. VANDERVEER SPOTLIQHT Filed on. 2-6, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES HERBERT E. VANDERVEER, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

SPOTLIGHT.

Application filed October 26, 1921. Serial No. 510,502.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. VANDER- VEER, a resident of Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spotlights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spotlights, and particularly to an operating means by which the spotlight can be manually shifted and is held to project its rays at any desired anglle and to any desired point. v

object is to provide a spotlight structure which can be applied on the top of an enclosed automobile or vehicle and controlled from within, and which includes portions by which the spotlight is manually shiftable.

A further object resides in so constructing the operating means that the light casing can be shifted laterally throughout a complete circle and vertically to project the light rays angularly below and above a horizontal line.

Another object is to provide friction means which will hold the parts to maintain various settings of the light casing, and which at the same time will not interfere with the manual shifting and control of the same.

Still another object is to provide for a weather proof packing and joint where the parts are fitted through the vehicle top.

WVith these and other objects in view which will be apparent from the drawings, specification and claims, this invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will Fig. 5 1s a view similar to the lower part bearing portions.

of Fig. 1 showing a modified form of retainmg means.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the parts in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig.- 8 is a detail view showing one of the spring clips.

The light or lamp casing 1 is of the usual form to mount an electric bulb and is provided with a lens 2, the casing having a bearing portion 3. An electrical connection is made through socket 4 and a flexible cord or cable 5.

A supporting sleeve or bearing 6 is provided with a flange 7 at its upper end to be received against the top 8 of the vehicle.

This supporting sleeve is externally threaded as at 9 and a washer 10 is fitted over the sleeve to bear against the under side of the top Sand is clamped and held thereagainst by a nut 11. In this way the supporting sleeve is rigidly mounted in conjunction with the top 8. V

A hollow tube or shaft 12 is fitted through the supporting sleeve to be capable of turning and sliding movement therein, and at one end of this tube 12 has a bearing 13 to fit with the bearing 3 of casing 1, a bolt 14 being employed to pivotally connect the A handle 15 is received on the lower end of tube 12 and held in place by set screws 16. The flexible cord or cable 5 is extended down through tube 12 and a cord or cable 17 is extended from the lower end of this tube to a battery or other suitable source of current supply.

By the mounting as described the casing 1 can be shifted laterally to any angle and turned through a complete circle by manipulation of handle 15, however it is desirable that provision be made to accomplish angular settings above and below the horizontal. lVith this in mind I provide a washer or bearing member 18 around tube 12 above flange 7, and form ears 19 and 20 at opposite points on this washer. A packing gasket 21 is introduced between flange 7 and washer 18 to give a weather tight joint around tube 12, and spring clips 22 and 23,

the construction of which is best shown in Fig. 8, are held by screws 2st in position to retain the washer 18 in proper bearing upon gasket 21.

A bearing 25 is provided on casing 1 and a substantially .U-shaped yoke 26, the form of which is best shown in Fig. 4, is fitted with its loop in this bearing 25. The ends of yoke 26 are bent inwardly to provide bearing pintles 27,and these bearingpintles are fitted in the openings of bearing ears 19 and 20.

lVith this arrangement of the parts the washer l8 and yoke 26 will turn with the tube 12and casing '1, andas this tube is slid upwardly or downwardly through the supporting sleeve 6 the bearing pin 14: will be correspondingly raised or lowered with respect to bearing 25 in such relation that casing 1 is shifted to project the light rays inversely at an angle downward-1y or upwardly from the horizontal.

lVhile the frictional bearing between sleeve -6 and tube 12 might be suflicient to hold various settings of the parts, it is preferable that means be provided to insure a proper frictional bearing upon the tube to retain settings as this tube is moved vertically and rotated within sleeve -6. To this endl thread the lower end of sleeve 6 and fit thereon a nut 28 provided with an opening freely:receiving tube 12. The nut is hollowed out and a compression bushing 29 is fitted in the nut to be compressed against the endv of'supporting sleeve 6 and thus brought to bear with sufiicient frictional con-tactagainst the tube 12 to maintain settings thereof. A set screw 30 is provided to hold various adjustments of compression nut 28.

In the modified: construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and .7, the parts are arranged substantially as abovedescribed, the coinpression nut 28 andbushing 29 being omit ted and modified structure being substituted thereforw The sleeve 6 is notched at one side as :at31'and a friction shoe 82, of leather orother suitable material, is fitted loosely therein. Spring clip 38 is shaped to fit the friction shoe 32 and at its ends has the ears 34 and 35. A coil spring. 36 is fitted aroundthe remaining portion of supporting sleeve 6 and has its ends hooked through openings ears 34L and 35 to resiliently hold the friction shoe in contact with tube 12. I

The manner of shifting and operating the parts has been :indicated, and recapitulation will not here be indulged in. fii hile, in the foregoing, I have described specific embodiments, and have mentioned only certain possible modifications, it will be appreciated that in practice I do not limit :myself to such specific details as herein set forth, but may resort to any practical erner? modifications falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spotlight comprising a bearing to be mounted on a portion of a vehicle, a shaft slidable and rotatable within the bearing, a light casing pivoted on the outer endof the shaft, a washer mounted on the bearing to rotate with the shaft and to be held against sliding movementtherewith, and a link pivoted at one end on said washer and at its remaining end with the light casing at a point spaced from the pivot bearing of the shaft.

2. A spotlight comprising a bearing to be mounted -on a portion of a vehicle, (a shaft slidable and rotatable within the bearing, a

light casing pivoted'onthe outer end of the shaft, a. washer-mounted on thebearing to rotate with the shaft and .to be held against sliding movement therewith, alink pivoted at one end on said washer and :at itsremain spaced from the pivot bearing of the shaft,

and a handle on .the'free end of the shaft to be within the vehicle to be grasped and manipulated by an occupant.

4:. A. spotlightcomprising a bearingto be mounted on aportion of avehiel'e, a shaft slidable androtatable within the bearing, a light easing pivoted onthe outer'end of the shaft, a washer mounted on the 'bearin'gto rotate with the shaft and to be held against sliding movement therewith, a link pivoted at one end-on said washer and at its remaining end with the light casing at a point spaced fromthe pivot bearing of the shaft, a handle on the free end of the shaft to be within the vehicle to be grasped and'manipu'lated by an occupant, and means-to frictionally hold the shaft in manual settings within the bearing.

5. A spotlight to be mountedon a closed vehicle and operated from within comprising a flanged bearing to be extended through an opening in the top of the vehicleila'nd having screw threads on that portionrfitting through the opening, a Washer fittedover the inner end of the bearing against the in ner side of the vehicle top, a nutsto clamp the washer in place and establish a weather tight connection against the top. a shaft mounted through the bearing tube to be slidable and rotatable, a Washer received around the shaft on top of the flange and held in place by clips, said Washer having bearing ears, a light shell pivoted on the outer end of the shaft for vertical swinging movement, a link pivoted to the bearing ears of the Washer and at its remaining end pivoted on the light casing at a point spaced from the pivot mounting on the shaft, a handle on the inner end of the shaft, and friction 1 means carried by the bearing to engage the shaft and hold the same'in set positions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HERBERT E. VANDERVEER. 

